Bal folk

What it is

The repertoire is wide. Couple dances include the waltz, the mazurka, the polka and the scottish, a gentle relative of the polka. From central France comes the bourrée, danced facing a partner without touching. From Brittany come line and circle dances such as the an dro. There are also mixers, where you change partner every round, and so meet half the room. Bands announce each dance, and people choose whether to join or to sit and listen.

Where it comes from

The scene grew out of the folk revival of the 1970s, when young musicians in France went to record older players and singers in the countryside and then brought the tunes back to towns. Dancing followed the music. Similar movements took root in Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy and Germany. Since then the style has kept changing. Musicians write new tunes, and the slow, close mazurka danced at many balls today is a modern development, not a museum piece.

How it works

An evening often starts with a workshop that teaches three or four dances. Then one or two bands play sets of about an hour each. For couple dances, anyone may invite anyone, whatever their gender. For chains and circles you simply walk up and join the end of the line. Summer brings festivals where people camp and dance for days on outdoor wooden floors. The biggest draw dancers from across the continent.

If you go

1. Arrive for the workshop. It is usually included in the entry price.
2. Start with the circle and chain dances, where you can copy your neighbours.
3. Ask someone to dance a waltz or scottish and say you are new.
4. Listen for the band naming the dance before each tune.

Good manners

• Join a chain at its end, not in the middle.
• In couple dances, agree on how close to hold. Closeness is offered, not assumed.
• Leave room for others. On a full floor, travel with the flow of the room.
• Stay quiet during slow tunes. The music is acoustic and people come to hear it.

What is danced

BourréeA lively French dance in double or triple time, once found in both villages and courtsMazurkaA lively Polish folk dance in triple time, known for its shifting accentsSchottischeA partnered country dance with sidesteps and turns, found across Europe and the AmericasPolkaA lively partner dance in 2/4 time from 19th-century BohemiaWaltzA turning couple dance in triple time, first popular in 18th-century EuropeAn droA Breton circle dance with linked pinkies and swaying armsCircle danceA group dance in a circle or curved line, joined by hand and led around the floor

Sources and further reading

• Balfolk on Wikipedia